Public Opinion : Democratic Ideals, Democtratic Practice

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In this revision to their lauded core text, Clawson and Oxley continue to link the enduring normative questions of democratic theory to existing empirical research on public opinion. Exploring the tension between ideals and their practice, each chapter focuses on a handful of exemplary studies so students gain a richer understanding of the research process and see methods applied in context. With new scholarship and data throughout, this second edition includes substantial new material on the critical role of groups in shaping public opinion, as well as recent developments in U.S. politics, such as public evaluations of President Obama, the power of new media, the rise of the Tea Party movement, and more.

Zoe M. Oxley is associate professor of political science at Union College. Her research interests include the effects of the media on public opinion, new media and political knowledge, political psychology, and women in electoral politics. Her work has been published in the American Political Science Review, Journal of Politics, Politics Gender, Political Research Quarterly, Political Behavior, Judicature, and PS: Political Science and Politics.

Tables, Figures, and Features

p. xiii

Preface

p. xvi

What Should the Role of Citizens Be in a Democratic Society?

p. 1

Public Opinion in a Democracy

p. 3

Theories of Democracy

p. 4

What is Public Opinion?

p. 14

Defining Key Concepts

p. 17

Empirical Assessments of Public Opinion

p. 22

Themes of the Book

p. 23

Key Concepts

p. 25

Suggested Sources for Further Reading

p. 25

Appendix. Studying Public Opinion Empirically

p. 27

Public Opinion Surveys

p. 27

Experiments

p. 32

Interviews

p. 35

Focus Groups

p. 36

Content Analysis

p. 37

Conclusion

p. 38

Key Concepts

p. 39

Suggested Sources for Further Reading

p. 39

Are Citizens Pliable?

p. 41

Political Socialization

p. 43

Childhood Socialization

p. 45

Parental Transmission of Political Attitudes

p. 49

Political Events and Socialization

p. 57

Genetic Inheritance of Political Attitudes

p. 61

Conclusion

p. 64

Key Concepts

p. 66

Suggested Sources for Further Reading

p. 67

Mass Media

p. 69

What Should Citizens Expect from the Mass Media in a Democracy?

p. 72

What General Characteristics of the Mass Media Shape News Coverage?

p. 73

What Specific Characteristics of the News Media Shape the Reporting of Political Events?

p. 81

Are Citizens Affected by the Mass Media?

p. 85

Conclusion

p. 98

Key Concepts

p. 99

Suggested Sources for Further Reading

p. 99

Attitude Stability and Attitude Change

p. 101

Are Americans' Attitudes Stable?

p. 102

Collective Attitude Stability

p. 105

Presidential Approval

p. 109

Psychological Approaches to Attitudes

p. 112

Conclusion

p. 127

Key Concepts

p. 129

Suggested Sources for Further Reading

p. 129

Do Citizens Organize Their Political Thinking?

p. 131

Ideological Innocence and Critiques

p. 133

Converse's Claim: Ideological Innocence

p. 135

Critiques of Converse

p. 141

Related Evidence?

p. 156

Conclusion

p. 158

Key Concepts

p. 160

Suggested Sources for Further Reading

p. 160

Pluralistic Roots of Public Opinion: Personality, Self-interest, Values, and History

p. 162

Personality

p. 163

Self-Interest

p. 173

Values

p. 176

Historical Events

p. 179

Conclusion

p. 182

Key Concepts

p. 183

Suggested Sources for Further Reading

p. 183

Pluralistic Roots of Public Opinion: The Central Role of Groups

p. 185

Party Identification

p. 186

Race and Public Opinion

p. 189

Gender and Public Opinion

p. 203

Conclusion

p. 206

Key Concepts

p. 207

Suggested Sources for Further Reading

p. 207

Do Citizens Endorse and Demonstrate Democratic Basics?

p. 209

Knowledge, Interest, and Attention to Politics

p. 211

How Knowledgeable, Interested, and Attentive Should Citizens Be in a Democracy?